Schwinn Phocus 1400 vs 1600 – Which one is better?

You can’t really guess how many times I have been asked about the Schwinn Phocus road bike. Especially about the dilemma Schwinn Phocus 1400 vs 1600. You might wonder what the hell are these numbers after the name of the Schwinn Phocus.

First of all, let me tell you that Schwinn is a very respected and beloved bike manufacturer which we at YesCycling really like. We have reviewed many bikes produced by Schwinn, and you can read more about them in the articles below:

Honestly, we love so much Schwinn that we have even reviewed this awesome kick bike and a bike trailer for kids which you can like too. What I want to tell you with all those examples is that we really like all Schwinn products which we tried. As you can imagine already, the Schwinn Phocus 1600, and respectively the Schwinn Phocus 1400 are not exceptions at all.

We are comparing two very good, and reliable road bikes. But before entering into much detail, let me give you a small table which will help you understand what is the biggest difference between the two bikes.

Schwinn Phocus 1400 vs 1600

Schwinn Phocus 1400

Schwinn Phocus 1400 is a great road bike for beginners which you can buy for less than $400. It comes with the Shimano 14 speed rear derailleur, and Shimano A050 shifters. This is the biggest difference between the Phocus 1400 and the Phocus 1600. I really don’t like this type of shifters because you need to move your hands from the handlebars to the shifters in order to change gears.

But having in mind the price of this Schwinn bike we can’t complain at all. Schwinn Phocus 1400 comes with a very good aluminum frame which is absolutely the same as the one in the Phocus 1600 model. It’s super light and agile, and the geometry is very good. I personally like very much this frame made by Schwinn.

Many cyclists buy the Schwinn Phocus 1400 as a first road bike which is a very nice choice indeed. It’s a great value for your bucks, despite the drawbacks.

If your budget is below $400, and you want to buy a good, and reliable road bike the Schwinn Phocus 1400 is a very good choice. But my recommendation is to invest a little bit more ( around $100 ) and buy the Phocus 1600 model.

PROS:

Great aluminum frame with perfect geometry;

Light, agile, and comfortable ride;

Schwinn is a very reputable brand;

CONS:

Shifters are not integrated into the brakes;

Only 14 gears which are not enough for the big hills;

Schwinn Phocus 1600

Schwinn Phocus 1600 is one of my favorite road bikes for beginners. I like it so much that it has even been included in my article about the best cheap road bikes for 2018. You can read a more detailed review in the link. All the pros which we have mentioned earlier about the Phocus 1400 are present here too. The awesome frame, nice pedals, wheels, and post as well.

But the biggest differences here are is in the gears department. Phocus 1600 has 16 gears instead of 14 gears in the Phocus 1400. This makes the bike more suitable for climbing hills. If you are in an area with more hill then you should definitely consider the Phocus 1600 instead of the Phocus 1400.

The second thing that is really different in this bike is how you change gears. The shifters are integrated into the brake levers which makes it super easy to change. You don’t have to move your hands from the brakes at all. You should try a bike with integrated micro shifters to feel the joy of the ride and the comfort. Many bikers prefer this over the shifters which are not integrated.

PROS:

Great aluminum frame;

16 gears for climbing hills;

Integrated shifters for comfort, and safety;

CONS:

Costs around $100 more than Phocus 1400;

The verdict on the battle Schwinn Phocus 1400 vs 1600

My verdict here is very obviously already. The advice I give to everybody who is thinking between the Phocus 1400 and 1600 is to buy the more expensive bike. I know that you can spend the other $100 on bike goodies, but thinking long-term the Phocus 1600 is really a much better option.

For those around 500 bucks, you will get a very good road bike which is perfect for beginners. You will get an integrated into the brakes shifters, aluminum frame, and in general, a very good reliable bike made by an awesome company.

If you are interested in the history of Schwinn here you have a nice video.

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